Cigar-machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheet s-Sheet .1. J. PRANGLEY.

CIGAR MACHINE.

N0. 360 046. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. PRANGLEY.

CIGAR MACHINE.

No. 360,046. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. PRANGLEY.

CIGAR MACHINE.

No. 360,046. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet J. PRANGLEY.

CIGAR MACHINE.

No. 360,046. Patented Man 29, 1887.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

J. PRANGLEY.

CIGAR MACHINE.

No. 360,046. PatentetfMar. 29, 1887.

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UNHED Siarns FFiQlEQ JAMES PRANGLEY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

ClGAR-MACl-HNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,0d6, dated March29, 1887.

(No model.)

To It whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES PRANGLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsinCigar-Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to cigar-machines of the kind employing an apron,which receives the filling and the hinder, or binder and wrapper, in apocket or slackened part of said apron, a roller being moved forwardagainst said apron above said pocket, so as to roll the contents of saidpocket on a molding-board, forming a cigar or a bunch, as the case maybe. Some of my improvements would be applicable, also, to any other formof cigar-machine.

My invention consists, first, in certain improvements in feedingmechanism and regu lating devices therefor; secondly, in certainimprovements in devices for alternately loosening and tightening theapron; thirdly, in certain devices for rolling the pocket of the apronforward to form abunch or cigar; fourth ly, in the peculiar constructionof the molding-block, the apron-holding roller attached thereto, andtheir adjusting devices; fifthly, in the devices for forming the head ofthe cigar; and, finally, in certain additional details of the machine,all as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 represents a front perspective view of a machine embodying myinvention, taken from the right, and the cigar-forming roller being atthe beginning of its travel. Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectionthrough the ma chine from front to rear taken on a plane a little to theright of the hook and horn which oscillate the rear rockshaft, andlooking to the left, the cigar-forming roller being in a medium positionwith the supports vertical and the apron tightened. Fig. 3 represents avertical section of the machine from side to side, taken just back ofthe hoppensupporting frame and looking forward, the parts being in thesame position as in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a detail perspective viewfrom below ofthefeed-slideanditsadjusting devices. Fig. 5 representsasimilar view of a modified form of slide. Fig. 6 represents a frontelevation through the head-forming devices, some of the parts beingbroken away. Fig. '7 represents in detail perspective a modification ofthe roller which holds down the apron and the devices for supporting thesaid roller, these be ing rigid instead of pivotal, as in Figs. 1, 2,and 3. Fig. 8 represents a detail view in crosssection of themolding-block and a part of the table, the adjusting-screws forsaidblock being shown in elevation. Fig. 9 represents in detail a sideelevation, partly broken away, of the upper end of one of the side barsfor the leverframe, the bearing-block held therein, and theadjustingscrew for said bearing-block. Fig. 10 represents a sideelevation of the hopper, the top of the hopper-supporting frame B partlybroken away, the feed slide, the hinged bottom attached thereto, theroller for closing said bottom, the bearings for said roller, and thearm E, attached to said slide. The full lines show the position of themoving parts when the bottom is open, and the dotted lines show theirposition when the bottom is closed. Fig. 11 represents a detail view ofthe roller U, hereinafter described, its suspending-bars, and the lugsand pivots by-which said bars ar suspended.

A designates the supporting-table of my machine, resting on legs a, andpreferably open underneath.

B designates a metallic frame provided with stout legs I), rising fromthe rear part of the table A. This frame B consists oftwo corre spondingparts, each having two of such legs and a metal top piece, I), extendingfrom front to rear. A guideway, b", is formed in the inner edge of eachtop piece, I), to allow the play back and forward of a feed-regulatingslide,

0, the top of which is flush with the tops of pieces I). A hopper, D, isarranged immediately above this feed-slide, and provided at its bottomwith side flanges, which are rigidly bolted to frame B through toppieces, I).

The slide 0 may be operated by hand, and to this end has at its frontend a handle, 0; but I prefer to operate it automatically through themedium of an arm, E, which is vertically slotted at 6, near its upperend, and receives in said slot a transverse pin, 0, extending across thelips of a divided lug, 6 formed on the rear end of said slide. This armE is mounted on a rock-shaft, E, which is journalcd in bearings Eattached to the top of table A. Said rock-shaft E is also provided withdownwardly-extending arms E, which pass through an opening in said tableA. The rock-shaft E and arms E E move together in their oscillations.The lower ends ofthe arms E are longitudinally slotted, and receive insaid slots a transverse pintle, f, which passes through the bifurcatedupper ends of arms F, mounted on and moving with another rockshaft, F,arranged transversely below the table. The lower end of each arm E islocated between the forks of the corresponding arm, F, and the pintlefof course makes a loose connection between these arms, like thatbetween the similarly-slotted arm 6 and the .divided lug e". Thus motionis transmitted, as hsual in such pin and slot connections, withoutbinding.

The rock-shaft F is further provided with a short rigid arm, G, havingits upper end forked, the forward fork, 9, being higher than the rearfork, g,and the former being rounded forward on top, while the top ofthe latter is rounded rearward. This is to allow the passage backwardover fork g and forward over fork g of an approximately-horizontal hook,H,which is carried forward and backward by a rocking lever-frame, I. Theconnection between the rear end of thishook and this leverframe is madeby a pivot-pin passing through the former and also through a bifurcatedlug, a, on a cross-bar, l, of the latter. Hook II has a verticalvibration on said pivot-pin, being provided near its rear end with adownwardly-extending shoulder, 7:,which comes in contact with cross-barIand prevents the hook from falling too far. At the forward end of thehook there is a downwardly-extending catch, H, having an approximatelyvertical forward face (using the term with respect to the front of themachine) and a curved under face which extends to the rounded tip of thehook. Just under this hook a rigid horn, J, extends backward fromcross-bar I, so that it may come into contact with fork y whenlever-frame I rocks backward. This horn is not so long as hook H, andconsequently the latter rides backward over fork g' and drops on fork gbefore horn J touches the former fork. The said horn then pushes backthe fork g and the arm G, rocking the shaft F backward. When thelever-frame I rocks forward again, the catch Hof hook I-I drops betweenthe forks g g, and its vertical forward face engages with the rear faceof fork g. The forward movement of lever-frame I and hook H, therefore,by pulling on arm G rocks shaft F forward. This continues until thecatch H rides forward over fork g and leaves armG free. This release isdne to the change of relative position of the catch H and the fork g asthe leverframe I rises to a vertical position. The rear fork, g, of armG is not essential to this construction, but lessens friction bypresenting a rounded surface to the curved face of the catch H andholding the body of the hook H out of contact with the forward fork, g,of said arm. By the alternate thrust of horn J and pull of hook H therocking lever-frame I imparts similar motion to shaft F during thelatter part of the backward motion of said leverframe and the early partof its forward motion; but during the greater part of the vibration ofsaid lever-frame said rock-shaft F is left at rest.

The rocking motion of rock-shaft F imparts similar rocking motion toshaft E through the arms F and E. The arm E of-course moves with theshaft E, and communicates endwise reciprocatory motion to the slide 0.As the motion of the slide 0 depends on that of the rock-shaft F, itfollows that whenever said rock-shaft F is left at rest by saidlever-frame I said slide 0 will be left at rest also. Thus said slidereceives an intermittent recipro cato'ry motion from said lever-frameand the intermediate connections.

The lever-frame I is pivoted at its lower end, and provided: withlateral studs t" opposite the ends of cross-bar I; From these studslinks k extend to the upper arms of angle-levers K, and pitmen L extenddown from the other ends of said angle-levers to treadle-frame M. Thisframe has at its forward end the treadle m, and is pivoted at its rearend on a cross-rod, m. A replacing-spring, N, extends from saidtreadle-frame to one of the crosspieces A of table A, or to some otherfixed part of the machine. Instead of it, I may, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 2, attach a weighted arm, w to the rear side of rockshat'tK, on which angle-levers K are mounted, or to the rear side ofrock-shaft K on which the lower end of lever-frame I is mounted.

A rigid metal frame, 0, attached to the side pieces, A, affords supportto all the moving parts of the machine below the table thus fardescribed. Theupwardly-extending arms 0 of frame C) afford bearings forrock-shaft F, and the downwardly-extending arms 0 receive the cross-rodm. Bearings 0 o are formed on the tops of the main horizontal bars 0 ofsaid frame 0. The rock-shafts K K are journaled in these bearings,respectively. The frame 0 consists of two counterpart castings orwrought-metal pieces, each consisting of an upper arm, a lower arm, anda horizontal bar, as above stated. They have no connection with eachother, except by means of the crossrod and rock-shafts, but areindependently secured-to the cross-pieces A of the table A. Incidentallythey serve to brace table A.

I do not wish to be confined to the abovedescribed mechanism foroperating slide 0, though I find it better than any other which I havetried or know of, for other automatic arrangements and combinationseffecting the same general result may be substituted.

The slide 0 is a flat plate or board longer than broad having anopening, 0, near its inner end and flanges or ridges c on its under sidealong the side edges of said opening. A fixed guard-plate, c", isattached to the under ICC side of said plate at the front edge of saidopeningthat is to say, at the edge nearer the treadle. Said guard-plateextends downward and is slightly inclined backward. A bottom, Cconsisting of a flat plate, is hinged to the other side of said slide atthe opposite edge of opening 0, so that it may close upward, convertingsaid opening into a pocket. This closing is effected by the contact ofthe said hinged bottom C with a fixed transverse rod, C", (shown indetail in Fig. 11,) when the slide 0 is drawn backward into the positionshown in Fig. 2. Under such circumstances the tobacco-filling drops fromthe hopper into said pocket 0 the bottom of the hopper being left opento allow its passage. \Vhen the slide 0 moves forward, or, in otherwords, to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, the hinged bottom graduallyfalls into the inclined position shown in Fig. 4. The opening or pocketC at the same time passes inward beyond the hopper, and the bottom ofthe latter is closed by the solid part of the slide. The dropping of thebottom 0, as described, of course allows the tobacco contained withinthe .pocket 0" to fall down on the apron 1. A loose part or pocket, 1),in said apron receives said filling. By the devices above described,operating as stated, a charge of tobacco-filling is supplied by thehopper to pocket 0 at each backward motion of said slide, and the samecharge is deposited on the apron by the dropping down of the bottom ofthe pocket 0' when the slide 0 moves in the opposite direction.

The transverse rod 0 is supported at its ends in brackets 0, attached tothe hoppersupporting frame B. Said rod is preferably free to turntherein as a roller for the purpose of reducing friction. Theguard-plate c" is somewhat trough-shaped, having side flanges which arerecessed to fit against rod 0. The hinged bottom C is of shape similarto that of said guard-plate. The side flanges of said hinged bottom Gcover the sides of the flanges 0 when said bottom is closed up againstthe latter. The overlapping flanges of the guard plate 0 and hingedbottom U prevent any lateral dispersion of the tobaccodilling in the actof discharge.

My adjusting devices allow me to regulate not only the total amount oftobacco filling in the cigar, but also its distribution to the ends andthe middle thereof, so that I may produce at will by this machine acigar of any size having any desired ratio of the diameter of either endto that of the middle or to that of the other end. For this purpose Iprovide the sides of the pocket 0 with longitudinal grooves 4, and inthese I fit longitudinallyinovable pl'ates land 3, with a broader one,2, between them. At their rear ends these adjusting-plates 1 2 8 areprovided with downwardly-turned ears 6, to prevent them from passingforward beyond a transverse clampbar, 5, which is screwed to the slide0. By loosening this clamp-bar and moving one or more of these platesforward or backward the supply of tobacco-filling to the ends and middleof the cigar may be regulated at will.

Q designates the molding-block, the surface-of which consists of twoparts, the larger forward part, q, being the segment of a circle ofconsiderable radius, while the rear part, q, falls abruptly, allowingthe slack part of the apron to make a bight or pocket, p. The forwardend of this apron is attached to a windingroller, R, which is journaledin bearing-plates l,tttll(:ll0(l to the sides of the molding-block Q.These bearing-plates are provided with longitudinal slots 1', throughwhich the fasteningserews pass. These slots allow either one of thebearing-plates to be adjusted longitudinally independently of the otherbearing-plate. In this way the capacity of one end of the bight orpocket p of apron I may be regulated at will so as to exceed or fallshort of the other end. A ratchet-wheel, r on roller R, and a pawl, q",on block Q, combine to regulate the tightening or loosening of the apronas a whole, and,eonsequentlydhesizeofsaid pocket. Said moldingblockrests in table A and on a fixed board or plate, A extending from frontto rear of said table and forming part of the frame of the machine, andsetserews q pass up through this fixed piece A under opposite sides ofthis moldingblock to lift one side or the other, as preferred. Each oneof these screws (1 q enters a recess, q. in the bottom of saidmoldingblock Q, as shown in Fig. 8, and is provided with a head orerosspiece, (1, within said recess. By turning screw q to advance thehead upward the proximate side of said moldingblock Q will benecessarily raised. As the corresponding side of apron I is of courselifted by said block, the corre sponding end of bight or pocket 1) iselevated above the other end of the latter. Thetobaeco filling whichfalls from above will necessarily tend by gravity to the lower end ofsaid bight. This will increasethe accumulation of said filling at saidlower end of said bight.

Uf course the inclination of the bight will be in the reverse directionit screw g" be turned so as to raise its side of molding-block Q insteadof turning screw as before stated.

The rear end of the apron I is attached to a cross bar, S, havingrearwardlyextending blocks 8, which are perforated and slide up and downon guide-rods t. Connecting-rods T extend from these sliding blocks toarms 1., which are mounted on rock-shaft F and rock therewith. By meansof these connections every time the treadle is depressed and the pitmenL, angle-levers K, links 7:, lever-frame I, hook II, and arm G operatingas hereinbefore described the bar S is raised and the rear end of theapron drawn up to tighten the hold of pocketp on the tobacco, thismotion lasting only until hook H releases arm G, and when the treadlerises sufficiently to bring the horn J against arm G the bar Scorrespondingly descends and the pocket 1) is slackened and enlarged.

To draw the apron properly down behind IIO the moldingblock andforming-pocket 10,1 make use of a roller or cross-bar, U, which issuspended by pivoted bars a from the under side of hopper-frame B,hanging freely, so that its weight may press said apron back far enoughbeyond the molding-block Q, to insure the dropping of pocket 1) behindthe face q thereof. The attachment of bars u to said frame B is effectedby means of pivots 8, eX tending laterally from lugs 7. This roller U ispreferab y left free to rotate for the purpose of lessening friction.

The work of rolling the bunch or cigar is performed by a transverseroller, V, carried by the upper end of frame I, which roller is pressedforward thereby against the rear of apron P, above pocket p, as the barS5318- eends. This forward pressure of roller V is effected by theforward rocking of lever-fran1e I, due to the treadle and theintervening devices, before described. These devices combine to tightenthe pocket on the filling in the form of a tube at the junction of facesq and q of molding-block Q. Then passing on over the former-face, thefilling is rolled within the binder to form a bunch, or within thebinder and wrapper at once to form a cigar. In the former case theoperator takes the binder and puts its forward edge so that it. willcome within or nearly within the pocket, holding the rear edge by manualpressure. Under such circumstances the filling is necessarily rolledwithin the binder and the binder is rolled on itself, completing thebunch. I/Vhen the entire cigar is made at once, the wrapper and binderare laid on together, the former being undermost and held and rolled inthe same manner. As the bar S descends, loosening the apron, the rollerV returns to itsformer position, and the weight of the roller U,pressing obliquely under the influence of gravity against that part ofthe apron P which is behind it, carries the slack of the apronback-sufficiently to form pocket 5 p. All is then ready for anotherpressure of the foot on the treadle and the making of anbther cigar orbunch.

The work of roller V is that of a bar; but its rotation is advantageousin lessening friction. Its ends are journaled in bearing-blocks '0,which are vertically adjustable, by means of screws 12 in guideways o,in the upper ends of the side bars of frame I. To permit this, thelowerend ofeach screw 2 is provided with a transverse pin, a, as shown indetail in Fig.

9. This pin is free to turn within recess 12 of bearing-block 0, butprevents ,said screw '22 from separating from said bearing -block '0.The upper end of each side bar oflever-frame I is screw-tapped at o asshown in Fig. 10, to receive said screw 0. Consequently, the turning ofthe screws 12 in said screw-tapped side bars of lever-frame I causes thebearing-blocks '0 to move upward or downward, according to the directionof said turning. o and blocks 2;, I am enabled to adjust one end of theroller V to a higher position than the By these screws other. Of course,the higher end of roller V will roll a greater amountof tobacco-fillingas tightly as the lower end of said roller will roll a less amountthereof. Thus the independent adj ustability of the ends of said rolleradapts it to roll a bunch or cigar which is larger at one end than atthe other.

As shown in Fig. 7, I sometimes provide the cross-bar or roller U withbearing-blocks u for its ends. These blocks are provided withscrew-threaded rods a, which extend horizontally through blocks a on thevertical rods t, hereinbefore described. The horizontal rods u areprovided with adjusting-nuts a by means of which either end of saidcross-bar or rollerU may be adjusted forward or back ward independentlyof the other. tion the cross-bar or roller U does not operate by itsweight against the apron. It is stationary, and acts merely as a checkfor said apron P, leaving the latter to form the bight or pocket 1) byits own weight.

Sometimes, as shown in Fig. 5, I groove the sides of pocket 0 in theslide 0, and fill it to the desired shape with rubber-packed blocks,removing one and inserting another till the proper shape is secured forproducing the style of cigar then in view. This modification isobviously less satisfactory than the neater and more easily managedadjusting devices hereinbefore described in referring to said slide. Theblocks are marked \V and the packing to in said Fig. 5.

p X designates a small horizontal shaft turning in bearings w on theunder side of table A. This shaft is provided with a doublygroovedpulley, X. A cord or chain, Y, passes from the rear end of horn J overone of the grooves of said pulley, the forward end of said cord beingprovided with a weight, y. The cord may be attached directly toleverframe I. A second cord, Z, passes as an endless belt around theother groove of said pulley X, and also around a grooved pulley, z,turning with a shaft, 2, which 'isjournaled in bearings z -on the top oftable A. The ends of this shaft are enlarged and provided with conicalterminal recesses 2 for forming the heads of cigars. The operation ofthe treadle rotates this shaft first in one direction, then in theother. During the former rotation it neatly finishes the head of thecigar.

Instead of using a treadle, steam-power may be of course employed todrive the machine, using a suitable cam and pitman connection.

Divers other improvements in the details of construction and combinationmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvent-ion.

This machine may of course be used for making cigarettes or cheroots,instead of cigars proper, or bunches therefor.

The same hopper may be used for supplying two aprons and their operativemachinery.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In this modifica' 1. A feedslide provided with a discharge opening orpocket, in combination with a hopper, cigar-forming mechanism, and aseries of independently-adjustable plates for adjusting the size andshape of said opening to suit the desired size and shape of the cigar,substantially as set forth.

2. A feed-slide having an opening or pocket, in combination with threemovable plates arranged side by side in said opening, any one of saidplates being adjustable to fill more or less of said opening, andthereby vary the size and shape of the cigar, substantially as setforth.

3. A feedslide having an opening or pocket provided with longitudinalgrooves in its inner sides, in combination with movable pieces which fitin said grooves, and are adjustable to vary the size and shape of saidopening or pocket, for the purpose set forth.

4. A slide having several adjustable plates for varying the size andshape ofits opening, in combination with a clamp-bar for holding saidplates in proper position after adjustment, and screw-fastenings wherebythe said bar may be loosened at any moment to allow the adjustment ofone or more of said plates, substantial] y as set forth.

5. A slide provided with a hinged downwardly-dropping bottom, incombination with a reversely-inclincd guard-plate carried by said slide,and a bar or roller, into contact with which said bottom is brought asit moves back, in order that said bottom may be raised for closing thepocket in the slide while said pocket is under the hopper.

6. A slide provided with an opening or pocket, a hingeddownward]y-dropping bottom for said pocket, and a reverscly-inclinedguard-plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A rock -shaft and an arm, G, carried thereby, in combination with afeed-slide, and connections between said shaft and slide, a rockingframe, and a pivoted hook carried by said frame,which engages said armas it moves forward, and thus rocks said shaft in that direction untilsaid hook and said arm automatically separate, as described.

8. The pivoted hook H and horn J, and a rocking-lever frame whichcarries them backward and forward, in combination with a rock-shafthaving an arm which is alternately pushed by said horn and pulled bysaid hook, a slide, and connecting devices between said slide and saidIOCk-Sllitfb, substantially as set forth.

9. The arm G, bifurcated to form forks g g, rounded on top in oppositedirections, in combination with the pivoted endwisc -moving hook II,having a shoulder to prevent it from falling too far, and a catch, H,with concave under face and vertical rear face, actuating mechanism forsaid hook, a rock-shaft carrying said arm, a feed-slide, and connectingdevices between said rock-shaft and said slide, substantially as setforth.

10. A hopper, cigaranaking devices, and a feed-slide, in combinationwith devices for giving intermittent reciprocatory motion to saidfeed-slide, consisting of a rocking frame, a treadle, and intermediatelevers and rods for giving it motion, a hook and horn carried by saidframe, a rock-shaft carrying an arm which is alternately pushed andpulled by these devices during a part of the oscillation of said frame,another rock shaft, arms extending from said rock-shafts toward eachother, and having pin-and-slot connections to allow play, and anotherarm on the latter rock-shaft having similar connection with the slide,substantially as set forth.

11. In combination with a cigar-forming apron and molding-board, aroller, U, arranged in front of the rear part of said apron, armswhereby said roller is held in one position to compel said apron to forma bight or pocket, a cigar-forming roller traveling over saidmoldingboard, a vertically-movable bar, S, to which the rear end of saidapron is attached, and a rock shaft and connections whereby said bar israised and lowered and said cigardbrming roller carried backward andforward, substantially as set forth.

12. I11 combination with a cigar-forming apron and molding-board, aroller, U, arranged in front of the rear part of said apron, and pivotedarms whereby said roller is suspended in one position to bearcontinually by gravity against said apron and assist in forming apocket, 12, therein without the aid of machinery, substantially as setforth.

13. The rock-shaft F and devices for intermittingly actuating it, incombination with the horizontally reciprocating slide 0, thevertiCally-reciprocating bar S, to' which the rear end of the apron'isattached, and the intermediate connecting devices through which saidslide and said bar receive simultaneous intermittent motion from saidrockshaft, substantiall y as set forth.

14. In combination with the apron and cigar-forming roller, thewinding-roller to which the front end of said apron is attached,longitudinally-slotted bearing-plates for said roller, and screwspassing through said slots for allowing the adjustment of either one orboth of said plates, substantially as set forth.

15. The rocking frame I, in combination with the cord drawn forwardthereby, the weight at the other end of said cord, and the shaft whichis rotated in opposite directions by said frame and weight, said shafthaving recesses in its ends for forming the heads of cigars,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P tANG LEY.

Vitnesses:

ALLAN A. I-Innn, IRA H. HERR.

